


on freedom road

by copacet



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Accidental Soulbond, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, M/M, Resurrection As Marriage
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-14
Updated: 2021-02-14
Packaged: 2021-03-13 13:34:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 660
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29279271
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/copacet/pseuds/copacet
Summary: The whole thing was Sam’s fault, start to finish.
Relationships: Castiel/Dean Winchester
Comments: 8
Kudos: 30
Collections: Chocolate Box - Round 6





	on freedom road

**Author's Note:**

  * For [badritual](https://archiveofourown.org/users/badritual/gifts).



The whole thing was Sam’s fault, start to finish. Sam who found the resurrection ritual, Sam who modified it into something that could get Cas out of the Empty, Sam who asked Dean to bleed on the lit candles while thinking about Cas as hard as he could while Sam chanted, and Sam who had, apparently, for once in his anal-retentive detail-oriented life, failed to translate the fine fucking print.

Because if Dean had _known_ what the ritual was really doing, well—

He’d have done it anyway. In a heartbeat. Of course he would have; with Cas’s _life_ on the line, he would do and had done way worse. And even if the Dean of just a few weeks ago would have had a hard time admitting it, this? Maybe not so bad. Maybe not bad at all. As something of an old hand at life-and-death tradeoffs, it was Dean’s expert opinion that this one was at the top of the list.

It was just that he hadn’t really pictured having this conversation with his little brother in the room. He wasn’t planning on hiding anything; he wasn’t ashamed. Not anymore. But some things deserved to be said in private.

“Yeah, it’s—it’s definitely a marriage ritual.” Sam squinted at the book, as if a closer examination might reveal a different explanation for why Dean hadn’t been able to take more than five steps away from Cas since the other man had appeared in the middle of the spell circle without a searing pain ripping through his chest. “The bond is supposed to last until the marriage is, uh, consummated.”

Cas’s expression had dropped into blankness, a far cry from the shining relief and near-unbearable fondness he’d been wearing when Dean had bear-hugged him a a few minutes earlier. Catching his eye, Dean gave him a significant glance, one he hoped conveyed _I am down for all sorts of consummating, just give me a minute to get you alone._

“Sam,” Cas said, with that stark earnestness which was usually endearing, but currently just kind of tragic. “Is there any possibility that you can find another way to sever the bond?”

Eyes flickering from Cas to Dean and back again, Sam responded with matching nauseating sincerity. “I’ll look for one,” he said. “I promise. Even if I can’t find one in here, I’ll check Rowena’s journals, see if I can find something that I can adapt—”

Fuck it, Dean decided. Who needed privacy? It wasn’t as though he and Sam had ever been anything other than all up in each other’s business anyway. What else should he have expected?

“Actually, Sammy,” he interjected. “I think we’re good.”

“You’re _good_?” Sam repeated, sounding incredulous. 

“We _are_?” said Cas, staring at Dean, eyes wide enough that Dean could see white all the way around his stupidly blue irises. 

“Yep.” Dean slung his arm around Cas’s shoulders. “I mean, sounds like solving this with just the two of us is gonna be way faster and more fun than whatever hocus-pocus you’re suggesting.” He winked in Sam’s direction. “And hey, I don’t think this library has seen any action since Gabriel and Rowena. Could be overdue for re-consecrating, if you catch my drift.”

Sam sputtered. “I—you—here in the _library?!_ Get a room, Dean!”

“Sounds like a plan,” Dean said, and dragged Cas out the door. 

They only made it halfway to his bedroom before Cas pulled away, yanking his arm roughly out of Dean’s grip. “Dean, you don’t need to do this. Sam will find an alternative. I don’t need your pity.”

“This isn’t pity, dude,” Dean said. “I’m not that much of an asshole. C’mon, man, you think I’d jerk you around like that? I’m offering because I want to. Because I, you know. That stuff you said before you bit it. Uh. Me too.”

Yeah, so it wasn’t the best speech Dean had ever given. But the results?

Were freaking _fantastic_.


End file.
